If you are part of the people who find themselves reading my articles more than they ever go to a Temple (of any sort), this week, finally you are blessed.

Because this week, I’ve been really wondering about your soul and its future. So, I’ve been looking deep in order to find some spirituality in the middle of the many things organised in town.
Believe me (you’re a believer, right?) I’ve been on a mission and I do hope (let’s certainly not loose any) that I haven’t failed… (and if I did, I’ll be forgiven, I’m sure).

WHERE CREATION TAKES PLACE

So everything always starts by creation. This week a few artists and creative people studios are opening their doors as they are hosting an exhibition !

First there’s the “Moving exhibtion” (exposition du déménagement) at the Brussels Art Factory in Saint-Gilles, which is a place where few artists have their work place, and thanks to that exhibition we will discover how to move as much boxes as possible with as little fingers as possible… It seems like supernatural gift to be able to do so….

The Belgium Artistic District is also a place of work for many artists. It is situated in the area of the Canal and this week-end they have an event called “4 exhibitions”… The title of one of them explain us how the straight line is the shortest way between two points if both of them are right in front of each other… how clever and deep… I need some time to meditate on that…

At La Vallée, also a creative hub, it’s the last “apéro” (after work drink) of the season: during the summer, each event was focused on one of the creative offices working there. This week it’s the turn of Studio Focus, and there will be some music treat also.

While going there, it will be a good moment to discover the current exhibition of the whole Smart collection called “Portraits d’artistes”.

If you wonder what is Smart, it’s a non profit organisation providing artists with solutions regarding contracts and billing system. It has more goals than that and that’s why Smart is also behind the venues La Vallee and Brussels Art Factory, providing more affordabel space to artists and creative professional.

So, Smart has a collection of art and it seems that the exhibition has very great pieces!

AUSTRIAN DREAMS

You don’t know it yet but soon you might be dreaming of Austria.Yeah it’s a long shot and it all makes more sens in my french version of this article.. it comes partly from the pitch in French of the Austrian tourist information website “s’échapper et revivre” (escape and live again)..

Well anyway… it also comes from two specific events:

First one is about Austrian experimental cinema and music offered to us by Velak an austrian independent art initiative. They are organising Velak Export together with Ateliers Claus and Cinema Nova, and the event is taking place during two days in this last venue.

To give you an idea, one of the two nights is curated by Brigitta Bödenauer and this is a sample of her work:

Then, there’s another event at the Project(ion) Room, also an independent art space, this one being in Uccle in the Bascule area. The event is S M O G and they are organising it together with the austrians Schaffeld Ensemble and also Brussels based artists Locusts Swarm. It’s an evening of sounds installation and performances, and they even have the support of the Österreichisches Kulturforum Brüssel, so the Austrian touch and dream is fully there..

A LITTLE TOUCH OF SPIRITUALITY

That’s the moment of the article when I get inspired by the title of an exhibition… I want to speak about destiny, future, lives, coincidence, etc… But finally I’m not so inspired (or I’m having trouble expressing how deep I feel about what I’m talking about), so let’s just get to the point.

So the place is called “Do Not Open Gallery”, yet another independent art space. After having found a spot in different areas of the city, they just found a new one in Vlaamsesteenweg and this is the first exhibition in the new venue. The exhibition is called “When Destiny brought us together” and artist is Eric Van Uytven.

For the opening party, there will be some music to your ears:

Before knowing that Do Not Open Gallery was going to open at that address, I must confess that I was wondering lately about what was going on there, everytime I was walking in that side of the street. It’s good that I got an answer to one question.

Ok, it’s an easy question, a very pragmatic one, not like the ones that they ask at arts&marges about Universe : “What is the place of humanity in the universe?” or “What is the meaning of it?”. Very ambitious and very much in line with this agenda, that’s the least I can say… The exhibition is called “Du nombril au cosmos – Van navel tot kosmos”.

And finally, for all the spiritual minds who are reading me on a technical device (well, er, yes, I know that would be like 100% of the readers of this article..), I would add that there’s an event called Café numérique who organise free tech events every month. Those moments are very chill, like small talk around a subject with an expert or two.

This week, the subject is the transhumanism: a cultural and intellectual movement which uses technologies and spirituality. One of the two orators this Tuesday is Meredith L. Patterson, technologist and sci-fi author.

I have a personal connection with the Café numérique, as I was member of the organising team for a while, few years ago. So I don’t need to tell you how much I believed in that concept of having laidback tech conversation, with a drink, in a non profit organisation.

So, I’m really amazed today to see that the concept is now around the world: from New York to Marseille, Bogota to Kinshasa, London to Paris, not to mention – obviously – the many cities in Belgium (Charleroi, Tournai, Liège,…)

A LITTLE BIT MORE SPRIRITUALITY

While I’m talking about spirituality, now is the good moment to let you know about the concert of Belgian band Joy As Toy, next Wednesday for the 6 years anniversary of Cheap Satanism Records… The night is held at Café Central and is only the first one of a serie of events for their anniversary!

Because I said “Satanism” this made me totally think of God… so isn’t it the perfect place to let you know that Saturday afternoon at Muntplace, you can attend a Gospel free concert?
If you want to have an idea, this is a video I found where you can see in the beginning of it a Gospel singer in the pedestrian zone of Brussels (I’m sorry about the flash mob that follows, but you are free to stop the video after the 10 first seconds.

Speaking of God, that led me to Philosophy.. if your french is good enough, you might want to attend one of the conferences during the Pop Philosophy Week! They will speak about sex, pop culture, tv shows…. I bet you will want to improve your French by then!

MY BUCKET LIST

It’s not the first time that I do reffer to this list I’ve started months ago and were I “push” myself to do at least one thing a month that I always thing I have to do but for some mysterious reasons never actually do…

Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about, you are exactly like me and everyone else.

So what’s on my list for a long time and that I promised myself to do this month? The Pyramide! Well, no, keep on reading I’m not speaking about Egypt… I’m talking about a venue here in Brussels, Woluwa: a place occupied by a lot of artists, quiet big, and where the Rapa nui association is organising many events, I must say… Sometimes it is called “Byrrrhamide”, in reference to the Byrrrh, a former drink factory behind Tours & Taxis that they use to occupy months ago.

This week-end is the “Opening Season” and they are open from Friday to Sunday with exhibitions, concerts, dj sets, workshops… Among those things there’s the improvisation theatre and my friend Sophie Falier is part of it, so I don’t want to miss that!

After their show, there’s a concert of Anwar: seeing him on stage is also on my bucket list, so I really have to be there that night!

OTHER STUFF

I think I’ve already let you know about a lot of stuff to do… I have other ideas but don’t want to make this article any longer, so here under is jsut the info and eventually a video or music, to give you a hint of what is it about.

On Sunday, the forecast says that it will be sunny, so let’s try to extend the summer by getting to an open air party at Poelart, for the view and the music of Brüxsel Jardin. The line up includes all german DJ’s, including Barbara Hofmann :

Finally, no matter what’s going on in your live: don’t cry, don’t whine, don’t panic. I’m sure nothing is going that bad (and I’m sure of this because if it was the case you wouldn’t take the time to read this)

And whatever happens, what can be as ugly as an Ugly Party in small café in the Marolles?
Absolutely nothing… so keep smiling, have fun and don’t forget to always have a look at the sky!